The comment was seen as a thinly veiled dig at his Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte, who has been vocal about his side’s problems on the fitness front. The Italian was even moved to respond, telling Mourinho to focus on his own club.

Nicholas pointed out that Mourinho himself was very vocal last season about Manchester United’s injury problems. The Portuguese coach regularly used it as an excuse to justify his club’s poor form in the Premier League.

‘He [Mourinho] cried all last year and all of last season at Manchester United,’ Nicholas told Sky Sports. ‘He actually got it to a fine art at one stage, he always looked miserable and still looks like he’s miserable.

‘He likes to take on the world and play this, “I’m the enemy,” card and he’s very talented at it. But where this comes from [I don’t know], I mean I hear him moan all the time.’